Transportation device and control method thereof

Abstract

The invention provides a conveying device. The conveying device comprises a frame, a plurality of wheels, a motor assembly and a plurality of adjusting assemblies corresponding to the wheels. Each wheel is provided with a plurality of first grooves, and a plurality of supporting rods are arranged in the first grooves respectively. The motor assembly is arranged on the frame and used for driving the wheels to rotate. The multiple adjusting assemblies are arranged on the frame, and the adjusting assemblies corresponding to the wheels are used for driving the multiple supporting rods to extend out of the outer sides of the wheels along the multiple first grooves under driving of the motor assembly so as to change the effective radius of the wheels. Due to the fact that the supporting rods can slide along the first grooves, the effective radius of the wheels is increased, the climbing process and the advancing process can be flexibly switched according to actual carrying scenes, the structure is simple, different transporting devices do not need to be independently arranged according to different carrying scenes, and cost can be reduced. And the telescopic supporting rods are embedded into the wheels, so that the structure is simplified, and the compactness of the structure of the transportation device is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of transportation equipment, and in particular, to a transportation device and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] With the popularity of high-rise buildings, people often need to seek professional moving services when moving large goods in staircase buildings without elevators, especially residents living on high floors or people with limited mobility.

[0003] In order to solve the problem of step climbing, existing transportation equipment is generally divided into two categories: fixed transportation devices and mobile transportation devices. Fixed transportation devices usually need to be customized and installed according to the internal structure of the building. Not only are they complex in structure and costly, but they are also less flexible and difficult to adapt to different application scenarios. Mobile transportation devices generally have higher requirements for steps and are difficult to use on damaged or irregular steps. They are also not adaptable enough to steps with large height differences, affecting transportation efficiency and safety. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present application provides a transport device and a control method thereof, so as to partially solve the problem that the existing transport device is difficult to adapt to steps of different heights.

[0005] This application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] The present specification provides a transport device, which includes a frame, a plurality of wheels, a motor assembly, and a plurality of adjustment assemblies corresponding to the plurality of wheels. Each wheel has a plurality of first grooves, and a plurality of support rods are respectively arranged in the plurality of first grooves. The motor assembly is arranged on the frame, and is used to drive the wheels to rotate. The plurality of adjustment assemblies are arranged on the frame, and the adjustment assemblies corresponding to the wheels are used to drive the plurality of support rods to extend out of the wheels along the plurality of first grooves respectively under the drive of the motor assembly, so as to change the effective radius of the wheels.

[0007] Optionally, the adjustment assembly includes an adjustment disk having a plurality of slide grooves corresponding to the plurality of support rods, and the plurality of support rods move in the plurality of slide grooves respectively to adjust the lengths of the plurality of support rods extending out of the outside of the wheel.

[0008] Optionally, multiple slide grooves are arranged radially inclined, wherein when multiple support rods are driven to extend out of the outside of the wheel along multiple first grooves, the radial distance from a point on each slide groove to the center of the adjusting disk gradually increases along the direction in which the adjusting disk rotates relative to the wheel.

[0009] Optionally, the adjustment assembly further comprises an adjustment mechanism, which is disposed on a side of the adjustment disk away from the wheel and is used to drive the adjustment disk to rotate when changing the effective radius of the wheel.

[0010] Optionally, the surface of the adjustment mechanism facing the adjustment disk has a plurality of first tooth grooves, and the surface of the adjustment disk facing the adjustment mechanism has a plurality of second tooth grooves, and when the effective radius of the wheel is changed, the plurality of first tooth grooves and the plurality of second tooth grooves are meshed and connected.

[0011] Optionally, the adjustment assembly also includes a driving mechanism, which drives the adjustment mechanism to move toward the adjustment disk and connect with the adjustment disk when changing the effective radius of the wheel, and drives the adjustment disk to rotate; when locking the effective radius of the wheel, the adjustment mechanism is driven away from the adjustment disk.

[0012] Optionally, the adjusting mechanism includes a small arm, and a cylinder with a spiral groove is arranged on the frame, and the small arm is located in the spiral groove, so that when the driving mechanism drives the adjusting mechanism to rotate, the small arm moves along the spiral groove, thereby driving the adjusting mechanism to translate toward or away from the adjusting disk along the axis of the cylinder.

[0013] Optionally, the driving mechanism further comprises a connecting mechanism, which is used to connect the adjusting mechanism and a third gear, and the third gear is located outside the cylinder and is used to drive the adjusting mechanism to translate toward or away from the adjusting disk along the axis of the cylinder.

[0014] Optionally, the connection mechanism includes four plate-like members and three rotating members, and the four plate-like members are connected in series via the three rotating members.

[0015] Optionally, the adjustment assembly also includes a locking mechanism, which is arranged between the adjustment mechanism and the adjustment disk, and the locking mechanism is used to lock the rotation position of the adjustment disk to lock the extended length of multiple support rods. The adjustment mechanism is used to drive the adjustment disk to rotate when changing the effective radius of the wheel.

[0016] Optionally, the locking mechanism includes a locking pin, and when the rotational position of the adjusting disk is locked, the locking pin is connected to the adjusting disk, and when the rotational position of the adjusting disk is changed, the locking pin is separated from the adjusting disk.

[0017] Optionally, the locking mechanism further includes a ring, the motor assembly includes a first motor, the ring is connected to the first motor, and a second groove is distributed on the outer side of the ring. When adjusting the length of the extension of the plurality of support rods, the second groove is used to accommodate a locking pin so that the adjustment mechanism is connected to the adjustment disk. When the rotational position of the adjustment disk is locked, the second groove is used to pop out the locking pin so that the locking pin is connected to the adjustment disk.

[0018] Optionally, the motor assembly includes a first motor and a second motor, the second motor is connected to the adjustment assembly for adjusting the length of the multiple support rods extending out of the outside of the wheel, and the adjustment assembly is coaxially arranged with the first motor.

[0019] Optionally, the transport device also includes a control component, which includes a sensor component and a controller component. The sensor component is used to sense surrounding environment information and obtain its current position and motion state. The controller component obtains step parameters and relative distance information between the transport device and the steps based on the environmental information, and determines the next motion state of the transport device based on its current position and motion state, so as to control the motor component to drive multiple support rods to extend out of the outside of the wheel along multiple first grooves, thereby changing the effective radius of the wheel.

[0020] The present application provides a control method for a transportation device, which includes obtaining step parameters and distance information and the current posture and motion state of the transportation device, determining the next motion state of the transportation device, and based on the next motion state, controlling a motor assembly of the transportation device to drive multiple support rods to extend out of the outside of the wheel along multiple first grooves, thereby changing the effective radius of the wheel.

[0021] Optionally, based on the next motion state, the motor assembly of the transport device is controlled to drive multiple support rods to extend out of the wheel along multiple first grooves respectively, thereby changing the effective radius of the wheel, including: controlling the output power, rotation speed and rotation angle output by the motor assembly to drive multiple support rods to extend out of the wheel along multiple first grooves respectively, thereby changing the effective radius of the wheel.

[0022] At least one of the above technical solutions adopted in this application can achieve the following beneficial effects:

[0023] Since the support rod can extend out of the wheel along the first groove, the effective radius of the wheel is increased, so that the transport device can flexibly adjust its effective radius according to the steps of different heights, so that its effective radius is adapted to the height of the steps, which helps to adapt to the steps of different heights and is suitable for more transportation scenarios. Moreover, when there is no need to climb the steps, the support rod can be completely retracted into the wheel, which will not affect the travel speed of the transport device, thereby helping to improve its transportation efficiency. In this way, through the effective coordination of the support rod and the wheel, the climbing process and the travel process can be flexibly switched according to the actual transportation scenario. Not only is the structure simple, but there is no need to set up different transport devices separately according to different transportation scenarios, which is conducive to reducing costs. In addition, embedding the telescopic support rod into the wheel is conducive to simplifying the structure of the transport device and improving the compactness of the structure of the transport device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:

[0025] It should be understood that the drawings are merely schematic and that the sizes and proportions of elements in the drawings are not necessarily accurate.

[0026] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a transport device provided in this application.

[0027] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the partial structure of the transport device provided.

[0028] Figure 3 for Figure 2 The transport device provided does not include a schematic diagram of the structure of the actuator assembly.

[0029] Figure 4 for Figure 2 The transport device provided does not include the structural diagram of the actuator and the adjustment plate

[0030] Figure 5 for Figure 2 An exploded view of the partial structure of the transport device is provided.

[0031] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of a support rod of a transport device is provided.

[0032] Figure 7a for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the provided execution component when it is moving.

[0033] Figure 7b for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the actuator when climbing is provided.

[0034] Figure 8 for Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the adjustment disk provided.

[0035] Fig. 9 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the adjustment mechanism is provided.

[0036] Fig.10 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the connecting mechanism provided.

[0037] Fig.11 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the locking mechanism is provided.

[0038] Fig.12 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the structure of the gear assembly is provided.

[0039] Fig.13 for Figure 5A schematic diagram of the structure of the combination of the adjustment mechanism, the connecting mechanism and the third gear is provided.

[0040] Fig.14 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a transportation device provided in this application.

[0041] Fig.15 A flow chart of a control method provided in the present application.

[0042] Fig.16a The working state of a transport device provided in this application Figure 1 .

[0043] Fig.16b The working state of a transport device provided in this application Figure 2 .

[0044] Fig.16c The working state of a transport device provided in this application Figure 3 .

[0045] Fig.16d The working state of a transport device provided in this application Figure 4 .

[0046] Fig.16e The working state of a transport device provided in this application Figure 5 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solution of this application will be clearly and completely described below in combination with the specific embodiments of this application and the corresponding drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0048] The technical solutions provided by various embodiments of the present application are described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0049] refer to Figure 1 , this specification provides a transport device 100. For example, the transport device provided by the present application may be a transport device capable of climbing stairs. Of course, the transport device 100 of the present application is not limited to climbing stairs. Generally speaking, the transport device provided by the present application can travel on flat ground, climb a sloped road surface or stairs, etc.

[0050] For example, Figure 1As shown, the transport device 100 may include a power assembly 10, a frame 30 and an actuator assembly 50. The power assembly 10 may include a battery 11 and a motor assembly 12. The battery 11 is used to provide a power source for the motor assembly 12. The motor assembly 12 is used to provide torque and precise speed and position control for the actuator assembly 50, driving the actuator assembly to climb and move. The motor assembly 12 may include a first motor 121.

[0051] As an example, the frame 30 is located above the power assembly and is used to carry any items that need to be transported. The frame may include a loading platform 31 and a motor mounting bracket 32. The structure of the loading platform 31 may be flexibly designed as required, for example, referring to Figure 1 , may include a flat plate, on which a fence may be provided to prevent items from sliding off. The motor mounting bracket 32 ​​may be used to provide a mounting position for the motor assembly. The frame 30 may also include a shock absorber 33, which is used to attenuate vibrations from the road surface and steps during operation of the transport device. For example, the shock absorber may be composed of a spring, or may be implemented in other ways, as long as it can reduce vibrations, which is not specifically limited here. The frame 30 may also include a rack 34, which is used to connect the loading platform 31, the shock absorber 33, and the motor mounting bracket 32, and may also provide a mounting position for the controller.

[0052] Exemplarily, the actuator 50 may include a wheel 51 and a support rod 52. The support rod 52 is installed in the wheel 51, and rotates together with the wheel 51 under the drive of the first motor 121.

[0053] Combination Figure 5 and Figure 6 The wheel 51 may have a first groove 511 on one side close to the motor mounting bracket 32 ​​to accommodate the support rod 52, so that the support rod can extend out of the wheel along the first groove to change the effective radius of the wheel. In other words, the effective radius of the wheel is equal to the sum of the radius of the wheel itself and the length of the support rod extending out of the wheel.

[0054] Since the support rod can extend out of the wheel along the first groove, the effective radius of the wheel is increased, so that the transport device can flexibly adjust its effective radius according to the steps of different heights, so that its effective radius is adapted to the height of the steps, which helps to adapt to the steps of different heights and is suitable for more transportation scenarios. Moreover, when there is no need to climb the steps, the support rod can be completely retracted into the wheel, which will not affect the travel speed of the transport device, thereby helping to improve its transportation efficiency. In this way, through the effective coordination of the support rod and the wheel, the climbing process and the travel process can be flexibly switched according to the actual transportation scenario. Not only is the structure simple, but there is no need to set up different transport devices according to different transportation scenarios, which is conducive to reducing costs.

[0055] It should be noted that the structure of the first groove 511 and the structure of the support rod 52 can be matched with each other. There are many structures of the support rod, for example, Figure 6 The support rod 52 may include a rod portion 521 and a shaft portion 522, wherein the rod portion 521 is installed in the wheel 51, and the effective radius of the wheel is adjusted by adjusting the length of the rod portion 521 extending outward. The shaft portion 522 is located at one end of the rod portion 521 and extends away from the wheel 51, and is used to drive the rod portion 521 to move along the first groove 511 of the wheel. Corresponding to the rod portion 521, the first groove 511 may include a groove 5111 along the radial direction, which is used to accommodate the support rod and define the path of movement of the support rod. The support rod 52 may also include a curved portion 523, which is located at the other end of the rod portion and extends along the outer surface direction of the wheel 51 (perpendicular to the circumferential direction of the outer surface of the tire), so as to help increase the contact area of ​​the rod when it falls to the ground during climbing, thereby helping to improve the stability and safety of the climbing process. Preferably, the curved portion 523 may also include two chamfers 5231, which are arranged at the part in contact with the ground, which is helpful to reduce the resistance of the climbing process, thereby improving the climbing efficiency. Corresponding to the curved portion, the first groove 511 may also include a groove 5112 perpendicular to the outer surface of the tire, for accommodating the curved portion 523, so that after the support rod 52 is retracted into the first groove 511, it is aligned with the tire surface, so that the travel speed of the wheel is not affected. In addition, by embedding the telescopic support rod into the wheel, there is no need to separately set up different transport devices according to different handling scenarios, which is conducive to simplifying the structure of the transport device and improving the compactness of the transport device structure.

[0056] It should also be noted that the first groove 511 of the wheel can be slightly larger than the size of the support rod (for example, the width of the first groove can be 1mm to 3mm larger than the width of the support rod), which can avoid the wheel radius adjustment process being difficult to control due to the first groove being too large or too small compared to the support rod. Figure 7a and Figure 7b The outer surface of the wheel 51 may be provided with various patterns, for example, horizontal patterns, which are beneficial to increase the friction during transportation and improve the stability and safety during travel. The size of the wheel is not specifically limited, for example, the wheel may be higher than the height of the national standard step. Preferably, it may be designed to be approximately 1.5 times the height of the national standard step.

[0057] refer to Figure 5 The transport device 100 may further include an adjustment assembly 70 disposed on the motor mounting bracket 32, for driving the plurality of support rods 52 to extend out of the wheel along the plurality of first grooves 511 respectively under the drive of the motor assembly 12, so as to change the effective radius of the wheel.

[0058] The adjustment component can not only adjust the extended length of the support pole arbitrarily, but also lock the extended length of the support pole in real time, so that the transport device can travel at a specific effective radius, which helps to avoid climbing errors caused by the support pole accidentally leaving a specific position.

[0059] Combination Figure 5 and Figure 8 The adjustment assembly 70 may include an adjustment disk 71, and the adjustment disk 71 has a plurality of slide grooves 711 arranged corresponding to the plurality of support rods 52 (for example, the number of the slide grooves may be five, corresponding to the number of support rods), each slide groove 711 is respectively connected to a corresponding support rod 52, and the plurality of support rods 51 respectively move in the plurality of slide grooves 711 to adjust the length of the plurality of support rods 52 extending outward from the wheel. The shaft portion 521 of the support rod 52 may be inserted into the slide groove 711, and may move along the slide groove 711 as the adjustment disk 71 rotates. When the shaft portion 522 slides to a position close to the center of the circle of the adjustment disk 71, the support rod is completely inside the wheel (such as Figure 7a When the shaft 522 slides to the edge of the adjustment plate 71, the support rod 52 is fully extended along the first groove 511 of the wheel (as shown in FIG. Figure 7b shown).

[0060] It is understandable that when adjusting the effective radius of the wheel, the wheel is in a stationary state, and when the shaft portion 522 of the support rod 52 rotates with the adjustment disk 71, the slide groove 711 exerts a force on the shaft portion 522, so that the shaft portion 522 can gradually slide along the slide groove 711. During the sliding process, the shaft portion 522 pushes the rod portion 521 to slide outward along the first groove 511 of the wheel 52, and the curved portion 523 extends out of the wheel 51, thereby changing the effective radius adjustment of the wheel. Through the mutual cooperation of the adjustment disk, the support rod and the wheel, the extended length of the support rod can be adjusted, thereby realizing the adjustment of the effective radius of the wheel to adapt to steps of different heights.

[0061] It should be noted that the slide groove 711 can be arranged along the radial direction of the adjustment disk 71. Figure 7b and Figure 8 , the plurality of slide grooves 711 are arranged radially inclined, and when the plurality of support rods 52 are driven to extend outward from the wheel 51 along the plurality of first grooves 511, the radial distance L from a point on each slide groove 71 to the center O of the adjusting disk 71 gradually increases along the direction in which the adjusting disk 71 rotates relative to the wheel 51. For example, referring to Figure 7b, any two points A (middle position of the slide groove) and B (the farthest position from the center position of the circle in the slide groove) in the slide groove, where the radial distances from the center positions of A and B to the center O of the adjustment disk are L1 and L2 respectively, and L2 is obviously greater than L1, that is, when the effective radius of the wheel increases, the adjustment disk 71 rotates clockwise, and the setting direction of the slide groove 711 is inclined clockwise. For example, the shape of the slide groove can be a curved "J" shape, so that the shaft can always be subjected to the force from the slide groove 711 to ensure that the support rod slides along the curved direction of the slide groove while completing the telescopic state, and it is helpful to control the movement state of the shaft along the slide groove.

[0062] Combination Figure 5 , Figure 7a and Figure 8 The adjusting disk 71 may also include a circular protrusion structure 712 located at the center of the circle, surrounded by a plurality of slide grooves 711. The circular protrusion structure 712 is hollowed out in the middle, and the circumferential direction (outer side) and the inner side away from the wheel are tooth groove structures. That is, the circular protrusion structure 712 has a second tooth groove 7122 and a fourth tooth groove 7124, which are respectively used to adjust and lock the effective radius of the wheel, so that the same structure can achieve two functions, which helps to simplify the structural design and reduce costs.

[0063] Combination Figure 5 and Fig. 9 The adjustment assembly 70 may further include an adjustment mechanism 72, which is disposed on a side of the adjustment disk 71 away from the wheel 51, and is used to drive the adjustment disk 71 to rotate when the effective radius of the wheel is changed. Exemplarily, the surface of the adjustment mechanism 72 facing the adjustment disk 71 has a plurality of first tooth grooves 721, which are used to mesh and connect with the plurality of second tooth grooves 7122 of the adjustment disk 71 when adjusting the extended length of the support rod 52 (changing the effective radius of the wheel), thereby driving the adjustment disk 71 to rotate.

[0064] In order to effectively adjust and lock the extended length of the support rod 52, when the extended length of the support rod needs to be adjusted, the adjustment mechanism 72 can be engaged (connected) with the adjustment disk 71. When the extended length of the support rod is locked, the adjustment mechanism 72 is no longer engaged with the adjustment disk 71.

[0065] In one example, reference Figure 5The adjustment assembly 70 may further include a driving mechanism 78. When changing the effective radius of the wheel, the driving mechanism 78 drives the adjustment mechanism 72 to move toward the adjustment disk 71 and connect with the adjustment disk 71, and drives the adjustment disk 71 to rotate; when locking the effective radius of the wheel 51, the adjustment mechanism 72 is driven away from the adjustment disk 71. In other words, when it is necessary to adjust the extended length of the support rod, the driving mechanism 78 drives the adjustment mechanism 72 to connect with the adjustment disk 71 and drives the adjustment disk 71 to rotate. When locking the extended length of the support rod, the driving mechanism 78 drives the adjustment mechanism 72 away from the adjustment disk 71.

[0066] It should be noted that a bearing 713 may be provided inside the adjusting disk 71. For example, the bearing 713 may be a tapered roller bearing, which is installed between the adjusting disk 71 and the output shaft 1211 of the first motor to provide axial resistance and overcome the axial pressure generated when the adjusting mechanism and the adjusting disk are engaged and the length of the support rod is adjusted. In addition, the shaft 522 of the support rod 52 may be installed with a bearing, for example, a needle bearing, so that the shaft 522 of the support rod can move in the slide groove 711 of the adjusting disk 71 in a rolling manner, which is conducive to reducing the sliding resistance between the shaft 522 of the support rod and the adjusting disk 71.

[0067] In one example, reference Figure 5 and Fig. 9 The adjustment mechanism 72 may also include a small arm 722, which is arranged on the circumference of the other side away from the wheel 21, for example, the small arm 722 is fixed to the adjustment mechanism 72 by bolts. A cylinder 321 with a spiral groove is arranged on the motor mounting bracket 32, and the small arm 722 can be located in the spiral groove, so that when the driving mechanism 78 drives the adjustment mechanism 72 to rotate, the small arm 722 moves along the spiral groove, thereby driving the adjustment mechanism 72 to translate along the axis of the cylinder 321 toward the adjustment disk 71 or away from the adjustment disk 71, so as to help ensure the accuracy of the motion trajectory. For example, referring to Fig. 9 A small bearing 723 can be installed at the end of the small arm 722 to reduce the resistance of sliding in the spiral groove.

[0068] Combination Figure 5 , Fig.10 and Fig.13 The driving mechanism 78 may further include a connecting mechanism 73 for connecting the adjusting mechanism 72 and the third gear 74. The third gear 74 may be disposed outside the cylinder 321 to drive the adjusting mechanism 72 to translate toward or away from the adjusting disk 71 along the axis of the cylinder. It is understood that the connecting mechanism can not only drive the adjusting mechanism to translate, but also transmit the torque of the third gear to the adjusting mechanism to drive it to rotate. For example, there may be three connecting mechanisms, which are arranged at intervals along the circumference, which is conducive to uniform force on the third gear and the adjusting mechanism during reciprocating motion.

[0069] It can be understood that when the third gear 74 rotates, the torque is transmitted to the adjusting mechanism 72 through the connecting mechanism 73. The adjusting mechanism 72 is constrained by the cylinder 321 with the reciprocating spiral groove, and rotates in or out along the direction of the spiral groove of the cylinder according to the rotation direction to achieve the engagement and disengagement of the adjusting mechanism 72 with the second tooth groove 7122 on the adjusting disk 71. This design has many advantages such as simple structure, simple operation and low cost.

[0070] It is worth noting that the spiral groove can be designed according to the engagement distance between the adjustment mechanism 72 and the second tooth groove 7122 of the adjustment disk 71 to ensure that the adjustment mechanism 72 can be connected to the adjustment disk 71. Preferably, the farthest point of the spiral groove on one side of the wheel 51 is the extreme position where the first tooth groove 721 of the adjustment mechanism 72 is engaged with the second tooth groove 7122 of the adjustment disk 71, at which time the support rod is completely screwed out. This design allows the adjustment mechanism to drive the support rod to be completely retracted according to the spiral groove.

[0071] It should also be noted that a bearing 741, such as a deep groove ball bearing, can be set on the inner side of the third gear 74, which can be installed on the motor mounting bracket 32 ​​so that the third gear 74 is installed on the deep groove ball bearing to reduce the friction between the third gear 74 and the cylinder.

[0072] For example, reference Fig.10 , the connecting mechanism 73 may include four plate-like members 731 and three rotating members 732, and the four plate-like members are connected in series through the three rotating members, that is, different plate-like members 731 are connected through a rotating member 732. A hole may be provided in the middle position of the plate-like member located at the edge of the plate-like member 731, which is used to be fixed to the adjustment mechanism 72 and the third gear 74, for example, it can be fixed by bolts. In this way, each rotating member 732 can transmit a torsional moment, and each plate-like member can rotate along the rotating member, so that the length of the connecting mechanism 73 is adjustable. When working, the longest distance of the connecting mechanism 73 is less than the sum of the lengths of the two middle plate-like members, and the shortest distance is greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the two middle plate-like members after folding. This flexible adjustment mechanism enables the connecting mechanism to adapt to different space requirements during use, providing greater flexibility. For example, the rotating member can be cylindrical.

[0073] In this way, when it is necessary to adjust the extension length of the support rod, the third gear 74 rotates and transmits the torque to the connecting mechanism 73, and then to the adjusting mechanism 72, so that the driving mechanism 78 drives the adjusting mechanism 72 to move toward the adjusting disk 71 and engages, and then drives the adjusting disk 71 to rotate (the first tooth groove 721 of the adjusting mechanism 72 is meshed and connected with the second tooth groove 7122 of the adjusting disk 71), so that the support rod 52 moves along the first groove 511 of the wheel, so that the effective radius of the wheel changes, thereby realizing the adjustment of the effective radius of the wheel.

[0074] To lock the effective radius of the wheel, refer to Figure 5 and Fig.11 The adjustment assembly 70 may further include a locking mechanism 75. The locking mechanism may be located between the adjustment mechanism 72 and the adjustment disk 71, and is used to lock the rotational position of the adjustment disk 71 to lock the extended lengths of the plurality of support rods 52. The connection between the adjustment mechanism 72 and the adjustment disk 71 is disconnected by the locking mechanism 75, so that the adjustment disk no longer rotates with the adjustment mechanism, so that the position of the shaft portion 522 of the support rod in the adjustment disk 71 is fixed, and thus the extended length of the support rod is locked. Of course, if the effective radius of the wheel needs to be adjusted, the locking mechanism can be withdrawn from the connection with the adjustment disk, so that the adjustment mechanism and the adjustment disk are reconnected.

[0075] refer to Figure 5 and Fig.11 The locking mechanism 75 may include a locking pin 751 and a ring 752. When the rotation position of the adjusting disk 71 is locked, the locking pin 751 is connected to the adjusting disk 71. When the rotation position of the adjusting disk is changed, the locking pin is separated from the adjusting disk.

[0076] It should be noted that the locking mechanism 75 not only has a locking effect, but also provides a buffer for the engagement of the gear groove between the adjusting mechanism 72 and the adjusting disk 71 .

[0077] In one example, the ring 752 can be fixedly connected to the output shaft 1211 of the first motor 121. For example, the inner side of the ring 752 can be fitted with the output shaft of the first motor through a key. The outer side of the ring 752 can be distributed with a second groove 7521. When adjusting the length of the extension of the multiple support rods, the second groove 7521 is used to accommodate the locking pin 751 so that the adjustment mechanism 72 is connected to the adjustment disk 71. When locking the rotation position of the adjustment disk 71, the locking pin 751 can pop out from the second groove 7521 so that the locking pin 751 is meshed and connected with the adjustment disk 71.

[0078] Preferably, the locking pin 751 may include a head 7511 and a body 7512, and the head 7511 may be used to engage with the adjusting disk 71 when locking the adjusting disk 71. For example, the head 7511 may have an axial fifth tooth groove 7513, which is arranged toward the wheel 51 side, and when the locking position is required, the fifth tooth groove 7513 may be meshed and connected with the fourth tooth groove 7124 of the adjusting disk 71, and when the length needs to be adjusted, the locking pin 751 is compressed in the second groove 7521. In this way, when the locking position is required, the adjusting disk 71 is disconnected from the adjusting mechanism 72 to achieve the locking of the support rod position. Exemplarily, the head 7511 may also include an inclined surface 7514, which is arranged away from the wheel, so that when the length needs to be adjusted, it is compressed into the second groove 7521 by the adjusting mechanism 72, and the connection with the adjusting disk is withdrawn in time.

[0079] The body 7512 may be a spring, and when the locking position is required, the adjusting mechanism 72 withdraws from the connection with the adjusting disk 71, and the locking pin 751 pops out from the second groove 7521, so that the fifth tooth groove 7513 is meshed and connected with the fourth tooth groove 7124. Of course, the body may also be implemented in other ways, as long as it can achieve the fixed rotation position of the adjusting disk when locked.

[0080] In this way, when the locking position is required, the locking pin 751 pops out from the second groove 7521 of the ring 752, the fifth tooth groove 7513 of the locking pin 751 is meshed and connected with the fourth tooth groove 7124 of the adjusting disk 71, and the adjusting mechanism 72 is disconnected from the adjusting disk 71 to lock the position of the adjusting disk. When the length needs to be adjusted, the adjusting mechanism 72 presses the locking pin 751 into the second groove 7521 through the inclined surface 7514, and the fifth tooth groove 7513 of the locking pin is disconnected from the fourth tooth groove 7124 of the adjusting disk, releasing a part of the rotational freedom. At this time, the third gear 74 rotates and drives the adjusting mechanism 72 to move, the first tooth groove 721 of the adjusting mechanism is meshed and connected with the second tooth groove 7122 of the adjusting disk, the adjusting disk 71 rotates, and the support rod moves along the first groove 511 of the wheel, so that the effective radius of the wheel changes, thereby realizing the adjustment of the effective radius of the wheel. In this way, it is conducive to making the engagement of the first tooth groove with the second tooth groove more stable, which helps to avoid the problem of gear hard engagement and toothing.

[0081] refer to Figures 3 to 5 The motor assembly 12 may include a first motor 121 and a second motor 122 . The second motor 122 is connected to the adjustment assembly 70 for adjusting the length of the plurality of support rods 52 extending outward from the outside of the wheel. The adjustment assembly 70 is coaxially arranged with the first motor 121 .

[0082] refer to Figure 5 and Fig.12 The adjustment assembly 70 may further include a gear assembly 76, which may be connected to the second motor 122 to drive the adjustment assembly 70 to adjust the length of the support rod 52 extending along the first groove 511. The second motor 122 may be started when adjusting the length of the support rod extending, thereby driving the gear assembly to rotate, and the gear assembly 76 drives the third gear 74 to rotate, and the third gear 74 may drive the adjustment assembly 70 to adjust the length of the support rod extending. When the position needs to be locked, the second motor 122 stops working.

[0083] In one example, the second motor may be a servo motor, which can provide torque when the transport device is climbing, and when it is necessary to adjust the length of the support rod or the climbing posture, the rotation direction, rotation angle and rotation speed are adjusted to achieve precise speed and position control, so as to achieve free adjustment and maintenance of the extension length of the support rod, thereby accurately adjusting the effective radius of the wheel. The first motor may be a stepper motor, which is used to transmit the rotation torque to the wheel to achieve the forward and backward movements of the transport device.

[0084] Of course, the first motor can also realize two driving modes. When forward or backward movement is required, the first driving mode is started, and when the extended length of the support rod needs to be adjusted, the second driving mode is started.

[0085] Specifically, the gear assembly 76 may include a sixth gear 766 and a seventh gear 767, and the sixth gear 766 is connected to the second motor 122. The seventh gear 767 is meshed with the sixth gear 766 and the third gear 74, respectively. In this way, when adjusting the length, the second motor 122 drives the sixth gear 766 to rotate, the sixth gear 766 drives the seventh gear 767, and the seventh gear 767 drives the third gear 74 to rotate, and then drives the driving mechanism 78 to move, so that the first tooth groove 721 of the adjustment mechanism 72 is meshed with the second tooth groove of the adjustment disk 71, driving the adjustment disk 71 to rotate, so that the support rod moves along the first groove of the wheel, and the effective radius of the wheel changes, thereby realizing the adjustment of the effective radius of the wheel.

[0086] It can be understood that a bearing 761, such as a deep groove ball bearing, can be set on the inner side of the seventh gear, which can be installed on the fixed shaft of the motor mounting bracket so that the seventh gear is installed on the deep groove ball bearing to reduce the friction between the seventh gear and the fixed shaft.

[0087] It should be noted that the sizes of the sixth gear and the seventh gear are smaller than the third gear, so that the small gear drives the large gear to rotate, which is beneficial to amplifying the torque of the second motor.

[0088] refer to Figure 5 and Figure 1 The motor mounting bracket 32 ​​may include a cylinder 321 with a reciprocating spiral groove at the bottom, a fixed shaft and a first bracket. The adjacent first brackets combined with the upper frame can be used to accommodate the sensor assembly 91 (such as Figure 1 The structures of the first bracket and the frame can be designed according to actual needs and are not specifically limited here.

[0089] refer to Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The output shaft 1211 of the first motor 121 can pass through the cylinder 321 of the reciprocating spiral groove, the adjustment mechanism 72, the locking mechanism 75 and the adjustment disk 71 to connect to the wheel.

[0090] It should be understood that the adjustment mechanism of the effective radius of the wheel is as follows: the first motor stops rotating, the second motor rotates an angle in a certain direction, and the torque is transmitted to the third gear through the gear assembly, and then to the connecting mechanism, and then to the reciprocating mechanism. The adjustment mechanism engages with the adjustment disk and moves the support rod a corresponding distance, so that the extended length of the wheel changes. The first motor and the second motor can be fixed to the motor mounting bracket by bolts.

[0091] refer to Figure 5 The transport device 100 may further include a transmission box housing 80, which is detachably connected to the motor mounting bracket and is used to protect the internal driving mechanism, adjustment mechanism, connection mechanism, third gear, gear assembly and locking mechanism.

[0092] refer to Figure 1 The transportation device 100 may further include a control component 90 , which includes a sensor component 91 and a controller component 92 .

[0093] The sensor assembly 91 can be used to sense the surrounding environment information and the current position and motion state of the transport device. Exemplarily, the sensor assembly can integrate a stereoscopic vision sensor, a laser radar for scanning surrounding information such as steps, and / or a position sensor. The surrounding environment information can include information about roadblocks ahead, such as how far ahead there are steps to climb, step parameters, etc.

[0094] For example, refer to Fig.14 The stereo vision sensor may be an RGB-D camera, which can identify step parameters, such as edge and height information, through an image processing model by taking photos in real time. The image processing model can be obtained through deep learning training of a convolutional neural network (CNN).

[0095] The laser radar constructs a spatial point cloud by combining the data information obtained through scanning with the information recognized by the stereo vision sensor, so that the step parameters and the relative distance between the step and itself can be accurately calculated.

[0096] The position sensor may be arranged near the battery side, and may include, for example, a gyroscope and an accelerometer, to obtain the position and motion state of the transport device itself.

[0097] refer to Fig.14The controller component 92 is used to determine the next motion state of the transport device through the motion model according to the step parameters and the relative distance information between the step and itself, its own posture and motion state. Based on the next motion state, the control parameters of the motor component of the transport device are controlled, including the power, speed and angle of the motor component, so as to drive the multiple support rods arranged in the multiple first grooves of the transport device to extend outward from the wheels along the multiple first grooves, thereby changing the effective radius of the wheels. The motion model can be obtained through deep learning, and the next motion state of the transport device can be determined based on the acquired step parameters and distance information as well as its own posture and motion state.

[0098] The controller assembly may include a motor controller, a battery BMS controller (power supply), a central controller (to determine the travel posture and motion state of the transport device, and control the motor controller to adjust the power, speed and angle of the first motor and the second motor, etc.) and a controller mounting housing. The motor controller may include a first motor controller and a second motor controller. Exemplarily, the first motor is a stepper motor, and the first motor controller controls the output power of the first motor to adjust the forward force or backward force. The second motor controller controls the rotation angle and speed of the second motor to adjust the length of the multiple support rods on the corresponding wheels to change the effective radius of the wheel, adapt to steps of different heights, and complete automatic climbing.

[0099] The central controller can obtain the motion model of the transport device through deep learning training. When using the motion model for judgment, it is necessary to combine the step parameters and distance information as well as its own posture and motion state, and use integration and filtering technology to reduce errors and zero drift to achieve accurate angle fusion, so as to judge the next best motion state of the transport device, and output the parameters of the control motor assembly to the first motor controller and the second motor controller respectively according to the judgment result. After receiving the signal from the central controller, the second motor controller adjusts the motor rotation angle and speed in real time through the feedback control algorithm to adjust the effective radius and propulsion force of the wheel, adjust the climbing state to adapt to steps of different sizes, and complete automatic climbing (also called adaptive climbing).

[0100] FIG. 16 shows a climbing method applicable to a transportation device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0101] Step S10, obtaining parameter information and distance information of the step in front of the moving transport device and the current position and motion state of the transport device.

[0102] Specifically, a multi-level perception strategy is adopted to sense the surrounding environment information and the current position and motion state of the transportation device through the sensor component 91. Fig.14First, the stereo vision sensor in the sensor assembly obtains the image in front, and the image processing model is used to identify the step parameters, such as edge and height information. The image processing model can be obtained through deep learning training of the convolutional neural network (CNN). Secondly, the spatial point cloud is constructed in combination with the data sent back by the lidar sensor to accurately calculate the step parameters and distance information. Finally, the position sensor is used to obtain the position and motion state of the transport device itself.

[0103] Step S20, determining the next motion state of the transportation device according to the parameter information, distance information, position and motion state.

[0104] Specifically, based on the motion model, according to the parameter information, distance information, posture and motion state, the next best motion state is determined, including controlling the power, speed and angle output by the motor assembly. The motion model may include which travel strategies to adopt for different step parameters, distance parameters, posture and motion state, that is, determining at which distance the effective radius of the wheel needs to be adjusted, and how much the effective radius is suitable for the climbing scene at this time.

[0105] Step S30, based on the next motion state, controlling the motor assembly of the transport device to drive a plurality of support rods disposed in a plurality of first grooves of the transport device to extend out of the wheels along the plurality of first grooves, respectively, thereby changing the effective radius of the wheels.

[0106] Specifically, the power, speed and rotation angle output by the motor assembly are controlled, and the power output by the first motor is adjusted to adjust the effective radius and propulsion force of the wheel. The rotation angle and speed of the second motor are adjusted to adjust the length of the support rod extending along the first groove of the wheel to adjust the effective radius of the wheel, thereby adapting to steps of different sizes.

[0107] For ease of understanding, the climbing method provided in an embodiment of the present application is described below by way of example in conjunction with a specific embodiment and its accompanying drawings.

[0108] For example, reference Figures 16a to 16e When the controller component information of the transport device determines that the transport device is running on a non-step road or does not require climbing, the wheels keep the support rods retracted and travel on the circular tread (reference Fig.16a ). When the sensor component detects that there are steps ahead that need to be climbed, the controller component makes judgments and controls based on the motion model, environmental information, and its own motion state to adjust the support rod in the wheel close to the step to a specific length so as to overlap the step (reference Fig.16b). Specifically, when the sensor component detects that the transport device needs to pass through the steps, the controller component first analyzes and processes the step parameter information and relative distance information through signals. By controlling the adjustment component of the second motor to drive the wheel, the wheel changes from a circle to a star shape, and the support rod of the front wheel extends and falls on the step plane. At this time, in order to maintain driving force and climb more smoothly, the controller component uses sensor signals such as gyroscopes and accelerometers to determine the posture and climbing status of the transport device, automatically determines whether the two rear wheels of the transport device need to extend the support rod, and adjusts the output torque of the stepper motor for climbing. After climbing up the steps, the sensor component obtains the information and movement status of the steps in front in real time, and judges based on its own posture. It needs to rotate and extend the other support rod to connect to the next step (reference Fig.16c ), so after all the support rods are retracted, roll first, and then extend another support rod between the support rods that were extended last time (reference Fig.16d ). That is, the controller component of the transport device automatically adjusts the length of the support rod by determining the optimal motion state for the next step, so that the support point of the wheel in the expected path planning falls on the next step surface, ensuring the stability of the transport device during the climbing process. In this way, the front wheel automatically climbs the steps according to this strategy, and the rear wheel performs a similar climbing process according to the same strategy (refer to 16e). That is, the controller component automatically adjusts the motion posture of the transport device to achieve automatic climbing.

[0109] It is understood that when climbing stairs, the wheels are star-shaped. When traveling on flat ground, the wheels are circular.

[0110] It should be understood that there are many ways to implement the present application, and it should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein, which are only provided for a more thorough and clear understanding of the present application. In addition, for ease of understanding, the technical terms involved in the present application are explained and described below.

[0111] It should be understood that although the terms "first" or "second" etc. may be used in the present application to describe various elements (such as the first tooth groove and the second tooth groove), these elements are not defined by these terms, and these terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.

[0112] The basic principles of the present application are described above in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, strengths, effects, etc. mentioned in the present application are only examples and not limitations, and it cannot be considered that these advantages, strengths, effects, etc. are required by each embodiment of the present application. In addition, the specific details disclosed above are only for the purpose of illustration and ease of understanding, not for limitation, and the above details do not limit the present application to being implemented by adopting the above specific details.

[0113] The above description has been given for the purpose of illustration and description. In addition, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of the present application to the forms disclosed herein. Although multiple example aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, changes, additions and sub-combinations thereof.

[0114] The components and devices involved in this application are only illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the drawings. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these components and devices can be connected, arranged, or configured in any manner.

[0115] The above are only specific implementations of the present application, but the protection scope of the present application is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can easily think of changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in the present application, which should be included in the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application should be based on the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A transport device, characterized in that: include: Frame; A plurality of wheels, each wheel having a plurality of first grooves, wherein a plurality of support rods are respectively arranged in the plurality of first grooves; A motor assembly, the motor assembly is arranged on the frame and is used to drive the wheels to rotate; A plurality of adjustment components corresponding to the plurality of wheels are respectively arranged on the frame, and the adjustment components corresponding to the wheels are used to drive the plurality of support rods to extend out of the outside of the wheels along the plurality of first grooves respectively under the drive of the motor component so as to change the effective radius of the wheels.

2. According to the transportation device according to claim 1, the adjustment component includes an adjustment disk, and the adjustment disk has a plurality of slide grooves arranged corresponding to the plurality of support rods, and the plurality of support rods move in the plurality of slide grooves respectively to adjust the length of the plurality of support rods extending out of the outside of the wheel.

3. The transportation device according to claim 2, wherein the multiple slide grooves are arranged radially inclined, wherein when the multiple support rods are driven to extend out of the outside of the wheel along the multiple first grooves, the radial distance from a point on each slide groove to the center of the adjusting disk gradually increases along the direction in which the adjusting disk rotates relative to the wheel.

4. The transport device according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment assembly further comprises an adjustment mechanism, which is disposed on a side of the adjustment disk away from the wheel and is used to drive the adjustment disk to rotate when changing the effective radius of the wheel.

5. The transportation device according to claim 4, wherein the surface of the adjustment mechanism facing the adjustment disk has a plurality of first tooth grooves, and the surface of the adjustment disk facing the adjustment mechanism has a plurality of second tooth grooves, and when the effective radius of the wheel is changed, the plurality of first tooth grooves and the plurality of second tooth grooves are meshed and connected.

6. The transportation device according to claim 4, the adjustment assembly also includes a driving mechanism, when the effective radius of the wheel is changed, the driving mechanism drives the adjustment mechanism to move toward the adjustment disk and connect with the adjustment disk, and drives the adjustment disk to rotate; when the effective radius of the wheel is locked, the adjustment mechanism is driven away from the adjustment disk.

7. The transport device according to claim 6, wherein the adjusting mechanism comprises a small arm, a cylinder with a spiral groove is provided on the frame, and the small arm is located in the spiral groove, so that when the driving mechanism drives the adjusting mechanism to rotate, the small arm moves along the spiral groove, thereby driving the adjusting mechanism to translate toward or away from the adjusting disk along the axis of the cylinder.

8. According to the transportation device according to claim 7, the driving mechanism also includes a connecting mechanism, which is used to connect the adjusting mechanism and a third gear, and the third gear is located on the outside of the cylinder, and is used to drive the adjusting mechanism to translate toward or away from the adjusting disk along the axis of the cylinder. 9 . The transport device according to claim 8 , wherein the connection mechanism comprises four plate-like members and three rotating members, and the four plate-like members are connected in series via the three rotating members.

10. The transport device according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment assembly further comprises a locking mechanism disposed inside the adjustment disk, wherein the locking mechanism is used to lock the rotational position of the adjustment disk to lock the extended lengths of the plurality of support rods.

11. The transport device according to claim 10, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking pin, and when the rotational position of the adjusting disk is locked, the locking pin is connected to the adjusting disk, and when the rotational position of the adjusting disk is changed, the locking pin is separated from the adjusting disk.

12. The transportation device according to claim 11, wherein the locking mechanism also includes a ring, the motor assembly includes a first motor, the ring is connected to the first motor, and a second groove is distributed on the outer side of the ring, and when adjusting the extended length of the multiple support rods, the second groove is used to accommodate the locking pin so that the adjustment mechanism is connected to the adjustment disk, and when locking the rotation position of the adjustment disk, the adjustment mechanism is away from the adjustment disk, and the locking pin pops out from the second groove, and the locking pin is connected to the adjustment disk.

13. The transport device according to claim 1, wherein the motor assembly comprises a first motor and a second motor, the second motor is connected to the adjustment assembly and is used to adjust the length of the plurality of support rods extending outward from the outside of the wheel of the transport device, and the adjustment assembly is coaxially arranged with the first motor.

14. The transport device according to claim 1, further comprising a control component, wherein the control component comprises a sensor component and a controller component. The sensor assembly is used to sense parameter information and distance information of the step in front of the moving transport device and the current position and motion state of the transport device. The controller component is used to determine the next motion state of the transport device based on the parameter information, distance information, and the posture and motion state. The controller component is also used to control the motor component of the transport device based on the next motion state to drive the multiple support rods arranged in the multiple first grooves of the transport device to extend out of the outside of the wheel along the multiple first grooves, thereby changing the effective radius of the wheel.

15. A method for controlling a transport device, characterized in that: include: Obtain parameter information and distance information of the step in front of the moving transport device and the current position and motion state of the transport device, Determine the next motion state of the transport device according to the parameter information, the distance information, and the position and motion state, Based on the next motion state, the motor assembly of the transport device is controlled to drive a plurality of support rods disposed in a plurality of first grooves of the transport device to extend out of the wheels along the plurality of first grooves, respectively, thereby changing the effective radius of the wheels.

16. The control method of the transport device according to claim 15, wherein the motor assembly of the transport device is controlled to drive a plurality of support rods disposed in a plurality of first grooves of the transport device to extend outward of the wheel along the plurality of first grooves, thereby changing the effective radius of the wheel, comprising: The output power, rotation speed and rotation angle of the motor assembly are controlled to drive the plurality of support rods to extend out of the outside of the wheel along the plurality of first grooves respectively, thereby changing the effective radius of the wheel.

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